Global water initiative workshop

Overview

This workshop organised by the Centre for Energy Studies and the Centre for Science and Policy is being held under the Global Water initiative (GWI) a collaboration between the University of Cambridge University of California San Diego and others to explore the links between climate change natural resources and development priorities.

The purpose of this working group meeting is to utilise engage and connect Cambridge expertise to identify the key challenges and opportunities on these topics.

The workshop will bring together experts from Africa the United Kingdom United States and other regions of the world to understand the impacts of local climate change and variability across the world with a particular emphasis on:

• Water resources in African regions;
• Identifying research technology and climate data management needs for integrated policies for sustainable development;
• Improving the connections between science local data and implementation of effective adaptation strategies;
• Developing partnerships to promote new research initiatives and exchange best practices policies and technologies for adaptation with the involvement of local policy makers and communities.

Attendees will contribute their views on:

• What the strategic research opportunities and strategic partnerships are for Cambridge on the topics of regional climate change water resource management and integrated policies for sustainable development;
• How Cambridge expertise can be connected to international and national policy initiatives on climate change sustainability and water management in Africa.

Questions for discussion include:

• What is needed to improve downscaling and reliability in regional climate assessments (e.g. the next round of IPCC reports); how can those assessments be used for the implementation of integrated sustainable development policies at the regional and local levels?
• What are the environmental and social data needs (from collection to dissemination and use) to build robust development and research programmes in Africa?
• How can different data sets (e.g. social data and climate data) be assimilated in order to provide a more relevant picture for policy makers and researchers at the regional level?
• How can seasonal and decadal climate predictions best be used to inform the actions of local farmers water managers businesses policy makers etc.?
• How can agent-based or other modelling approaches be applied to challenges of environmental adaptation?
• What lessons can be learned from successes and failures of existing development and research programmes to improve adaptation and resilience in Africa?
• What is the role of international institutions in facilitating local climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts?